Jerry and Carole Weber

Mountain View, nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, attracts thousands of tourists each year with its folk roots and natural beauty. Those charming qualities, plus the southern hospitality of the townspeople, made it an attractive place to settle for St. Louis native Jerry Weber and his wife Carole—originally from Denver.

“Jerry had always loved Arkansas and I was immediately impressed with the beauty of the Ozarks and the friendly people,” Carole said.

During a vacation to Stone County—the county that’s home to Mountain View—the idea of retiring there and establishing a bed and breakfast became a dream for the couple. In 1993, they bought more than 70 acres of land and built the Carriage House Bed & Breakfast on the property. It was a pretty big change for the two, having come from jobs at Lockheed Missiles & Space Company in Sunnyvale, Calif. – he was a missile test engineer and she was a secretary.

Nevertheless, “we never looked back and are thrilled to have left the rat race of Silicon Valley for Arkansas,” Carole said. “We love it here and hope to be able to make a difference.”